Holiday weekend, gardening,

Good day to you all.  I will be so glad when the weekend is over though the annoying fireworks may continue till long past Sunday.  The neighbors both north and south of us out did themselves this year--and I don't mean that as a compliment.  I still need to grind the last batch of herbs I cut and dried.  Then I want to cut the lemon thyme and what ever else looks like it needs it.  The gardens are definitely going into jungle mode.

A day later and it is now cloudy but I have some hope of sun.  I wouldn't mind some rain so I don't have to water the plants.  We got a bit yesterday but not nearly enough for my big plants.  I did get the herbs in the dehydrator ground.  I should cut some more but I don't know that I will.  I have been very lazy for the last few days.

I haven't seen much I really wanted to comment on.  Egypt and Edward Snowdon have dominated the international news and I really don't have much to say about either--except I have boundless faith that our government will make each infinitely worse.  I can't believe the diplomatic snafu involving the Bolivian president.  I kept thinking what kind of reaction we would have had if Air Force 1 had been so diverted and searched--with our president on board.

My assessment of national news is much the same--the political/religious/social zealots have an infinite capacity to be asshats.  After saying that what else is there to say?

I have read about this phenomenon for several years now.  Evidently it is still a problem.  What I find interesting is how quickly the discussion turned, in the article, from the social and economic pressures associated with the hikikomori (the bleak jobs expectations, brutal competition for academic places and jobs, the feelings of shame at perceived failure, etc.) to 'treating' the symptoms (isolation, anger, violence, etc.).  The society/economy/politicsal systems get absolution while the sufferer gets purgatory.

I actually got quite a bit of work in the gardens done today.  We had a treat of a few strawberries I found this morning.  I am amazed by how much I had to trim and tie up.  Got all but one set of tomatoes done.  Moved a couple of other plans that were being over grown by their neighbors.  I am already thinking about where things will go in the fall and next spring.